Aviation student secures Delta Airlines internship

December 18, 2015

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San Diego Community College District

San Diego Miramar College student Tevin Nixon has joined Delta Airlines on a paid
internship. He is currently working nights at Lindbergh Field under the direct supervision
of Delta mechanics. The 22 year-old began taking courses at Miramar College in Fall
of 2011 and will graduate later this month. Nixon is studying aircraft maintenance.

Nixon recently completed a vigorous employment process to become Miramar’s first intern
selected from the aviation program to join the Delta Airlines Intern Program.

"This is a great achievement," said Lonny Bosselman, aviation program director at
Miramar College. "There were several administrative hurdles to overcome, but through
the tenacity displayed by Delta Station Manager Jim Fuller it has finally happened."

Leadership from the Miramar College Aviation department first met with Delta Airlines
officials earlier this year to discuss the framework of an internship program that
would align the skills of Miramar College students with the needs of one of the nation’s
largest carriers.

"Delta actually courted us," said Larry Pink, chair of the aviation program. "Delta
has recognized that 75 percent of its workforce is eligible to retire in the next
few years and they need to fill those gaps. The airline has approached 50 aviation
programs nationwide and they chose to speak to 10. Miramar College was one of those
10. Delta is hoping to align with aviation programs, in areas where the cost of living
is high, to train the local workforce. This strategy will help to cut down on their
costs. Miramar College has offered a high quality aviation maintenance program to
the community for several years. Our program will help assist Delta with its future
labor needs and this in turn will benefit our students and the San Diego region with
job creation."

The Aviation department hopes to rotate another intern into the Delta Airlines Intern
Program by the first of the year.